Paul George Says His Knee Feels 'Great' Again as He Joins Celtics
The 36-year-old wing calls his Boston move a 'rebirth' after two injury-wrecked years. Can he stay upright for 82 games plus a playoff run?
Healthy talk is nice, but two lost seasons demand a wait-and-see draft approach.
- George, 36, joins Boston via the Jaylen Brown trade
- Had arthroscopic left knee surgery before last season
- Missed heavy time in his lone 76ers year (2024-25)
- Says he's playing a deferential role behind Jayson Tatum
- Celtics wing depth: Walsh, Gonzalez, Scheierman, Harper Jr.
Paul George planted himself at the Auerbach Center podium on Tuesday and delivered the sentence every fantasy manager wanted to hear: he feels great again. The 36-year-old wing, now a Celtic after the trade that shipped Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, admitted the last two years have been rough on his body but insisted he's turned the corner physically. That's a meaningful claim from a player whose last two summers were spent rehabbing rather than training.
The context matters here. George had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee before last season to fix damage from a workout, and his lone 76ers campaign in 2024-25 was gutted by a knee hyperextension and adductor issues. He described this offseason as a chance to actually strengthen his knee and body — calling the whole thing a kind of rebirth — instead of another rehab grind.
He also made his role crystal clear: this is Jayson Tatum's team, and George is there to help. Don't expect the alpha version of PG that carried usage in Los Angeles. In Boston he's a supporting piece, which caps his ceiling even in a best-case healthy scenario.
The Depth Chart Wrinkle
The Celtics haven't built around George's availability, and that's the tell. Boston has a stack of young wings ready to absorb minutes if he breaks down again — Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman and Ron Harper Jr. among them. None are fantasy needle-movers right now: Walsh averaged 14.5 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26, actual), Scheierman 13.2, and Gonzalez just 10.8. But they're insurance, and their presence tells you the front office is planning for missed George games.
For deep-league managers, Scheierman is the most interesting of that group — he's trending up, posting +9 fantasy points over his last five games versus his season average. If George misses time, Scheierman's the name to stash first.
The Fantasy Verdict
Here's the honest read for drafts: George's talk is encouraging, but our model isn't buying a full recovery on words alone, and neither should you. Two straight injury-marred seasons plus a reduced, deferential role behind Tatum means his upside is muted even at full health. Treat him as a mid-round upside swing at best, not a foundation piece — and keep a Celtics wing like Scheierman on your watch list as the built-in hedge. Watch the preseason reps closely before committing a real pick.
